Watching Ericsson mature

Yes E has played well. But Kronwall has played poorly this year from a defensive stand point, which makes E look even better. He is playing on a top pair, but he really is a 3/4 not a 1/2 Dman.

The real question with E is, can we afford to keep him. He is a UFA after next season, and the market is 5 million per year. Is E worth it? That one is a tough choice. We do have 4/5 young Dman pushing for time: Kindl, Dekeyser, Lashoff, Smith, and Sproul. Maybe this summer is the time to flip him for a top 2 line forward-something we don't have.

*sigh*

Sproul has yet to play a game at the AHL level, let alone the NHL level. What makes you think he will be pushing the big club anytime soon?

Sproul, Oulette, Backman, Jensen, Marshall, McKee, Nedomlel, etc, all light years away from playing any kind of role in Detroit, IMO.

Before the season began, back when all the media types were beating the "Lidstrom is gone" horse to death, Babcock talked about how this year would be an opportunity for some guys to make a spot their own. We got pretty much the same or a little less from Kronwall and Quincey, and White and Smith underperformed expectations. But thanks to Ericsson, Kindl, Dekeyser, and Lashoff over performing, our defense is better than a year ago. Although, to be fair, Jimmy made them look real good far more often than he should have.

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Yes E has played well. But Kronwall has played poorly this year from a defensive stand point, which makes E look even better. He is playing on a top pair, but he really is a 3/4 not a 1/2 Dman.

The real question with E is, can we afford to keep him. He is a UFA after next season, and the market is 5 million per year. Is E worth it? That one is a tough choice. We do have 4/5 young Dman pushing for time: Kindl, Dekeyser, Lashoff, Smith, and Sproul. Maybe this summer is the time to flip him for a top 2 line forward-something we don't have.

Most #1 Dmen are #1 cause they have a #2 like Ericsson.

Keith and Seabrook. Leddy and Hjalmarsson.

Seidenberg in Boston comes to mind, as well as Boychuk.

The Kings have guys like Scuderi, Mitchell and Greene that fill that role.

We have Ericsson, Lashoff and DeKeyser to compliment Kronwall, Smith and Kindl. I still don't know what exactly Quincey is, but it's not necessary.

Sproul has yet to play a game at the AHL level, let alone the NHL level. What makes you think he will be pushing the big club anytime soon?

Sproul, Oulette, Backman, Jensen, Marshall, McKee, Nedomlel, etc, all light years away from playing any kind of role in Detroit, IMO.

Wrong. Sproul played the last couple of games in GR this year, including some PO time. he is the real deal from a offensive stand point. he is also 6-3/4 and around 200 pounds. Not to mention RHed with a booming shoot. yes he needs some more AHL time. but that could be 20 games. or it could be a year.

But that isn't the point. The point is, to trade for value you have to give up value. We don't have many options to move and get a good return. Dmen is a position of strength for the organization, while forward is the black hole. Even if we get the perfect draft, those guys are 2-5 years away. We need forwards now. So the question becomes are we a better TEAM with E and no proven forward additions or with a proven forward/no E. Of course the answer is: depends. depends on who we would be picking up. If the choice is E vs Ryan, we need Ryan more.

Edit. No PO time for Sproul. I thought I heard his name on the radio, but that is incorrect.

We can agree to disagree on where he should be in terms of lines but I do disagree with not using his body effectively- that's one of the features of his game that has become a weapon. He lead ALL defenseman in hits by a landslide ( 26 more in the regular season that Kronwall)
As for trading him.....we just signed him in the summer so he isn't slated to become a UFA for 3 years. At a 3.25 million cap hit, I would also disagree with your assertion that he is overpaid. Quincey makes more!
Anyway, I am not arguing that he is the next Bobby Orr or that he should win the Norris....I simply wanted to give Kudos where they are due. We dog the guys when they don't show up...I think we should also praise when they excel.

This post wasn't about Quincy, but I agree, he is way overpaid for the talent level he brings!

The more he plays against such elite talent and thrives, the more convinced I am he is not only solid but actually good. He's turning into a legit top pairing defenseman.

Yes E has played well. But Kronwall has played poorly this year from a defensive stand point, which makes E look even better. He is playing on a top pair, but he really is a 3/4 not a 1/2 Dman.

The real question with E is, can we afford to keep him. He is a UFA after next season, and the market is 5 million per year. Is E worth it? That one is a tough choice. We do have 4/5 young Dman pushing for time: Kindl, Dekeyser, Lashoff, Smith, and Sproul. Maybe this summer is the time to flip him for a top 2 line forward-something we don't have.

The fact that E looks good while Kronwall struggles means he is really food, not that he's a second pairing guy at best. If your partner struggles, usually you do, too. And E is thriving.

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I will admit I was wrong about E, I thought he peaked 2 seasons ago. At times especially down the stretch he has been our best Defenseman. Its nice to see the great growth internally of E, Smitty, Kroner,Kindl, I think the foundation is well set for more playoff pushes. Now lets wok on the front end.

Ill admit I was wrong too. I won't admit that he hadn't always proved me right until this year though. Part of why its so amazing that he's this good now is because of juat how useless he's looked for years. He just looked lost out there to me. Was terrible, yes terrible, positionally. Didn't use his stick, body, or brains consistently to ever prove any confidance he team had in him to me. But man has he been different. He's usuing his body (although he has the potential to be much better physically) and he actually looks somewhat confidant out there. I'm impressed. Kindl too...his transformation has been nearly as shocking.

The more he plays against such elite talent and thrives, the more convinced I am he is not only solid but actually good. He's turning into a legit top pairing defenseman..

I still can't concede this though. Ericsson is playing like a #3 to me. That said, I have high standards for top pairing guys. If a #1 is a franchise, elite guy...a #2 is a Rafalski/Kronwall type skill level and Ericsson arguably doesn't have that skill level to begin with and he hasn't proved consistently that he has become at that level.

I think Fischer was better than E and Fischer wasn't quite a top guy...although I believe he would have been.

Ill admit I was wrong too. I won't admit that he hadn't always proved me right until this year though. Part of why its so amazing that he's this good now is because of juat how useless he's looked for years. He just looked lost out there to me. Was terrible, yes terrible, positionally. Didn't use his stick, body, or brains consistently to ever prove any confidance he team had in him to me. But man has he been different. He's usuing his body (although he has the potential to be much better physically) and he actually looks somewhat confidant out there. I'm impressed. Kindl too...his transformation has been nearly as shocking.

I am actually surprised, given the match-ups that he and Perry havent dropped the gloves....I called it in game 1...perhaps we may see it in game 6. He's startng to piss some of thos boys off which I LOVE!!!

As far as I'm concerned, the reason Detroit won on Saturday was the suffocating play of Jonathan Ericsson and Nicklas Kronwall. Tough to imagine the Tre Kronor not taking both of them and making them the second pairing at Sochi (behind Karlsson and Ekman-Larrson). The Ericsson/Kronwall pairing were dominant on Saturday playing nearly ten minutes of shutdown hockey against the Jonathan Toews line. I'm so impressed by Ericsson's play in particular, his stretch pass to set up Johan Franzen's game sealing goal was icing on the cake of a lights-out two-way performance. Ericsson has come an awful long way as a defenceman this season.

Before the season began, back when all the media types were beating the "Lidstrom is gone" horse to death, Babcock talked about how this year would be an opportunity for some guys to make a spot their own. We got pretty much the same or a little less from Kronwall and Quincey, and White and Smith underperformed expectations. But thanks to Ericsson, Kindl, Dekeyser, and Lashoff over performing, our defense is better than a year ago. Although, to be fair, Jimmy made them look real good far more often than he should have.

Have you noticed that the Quincey criticism has died off to almost just a mouse squeak now? Kenny's move is looking very good right about now. Q is playing some sound defensive hockey. Babcock likes good positioning. Once Smith gets that feel, our D will be TIGHT.

Have you noticed that the Quincey criticism has died off to almost just a mouse squeak now? Kenny's move is looking very good right about now. Q is playing some sound defensive hockey. Babcock likes good positioning. Once Smith gets that feel, our D will be TIGHT.

I agree. My opinion of Quincey is that he is no where near as bad as ppl portray him. With the growth of the young players. Especially kindl smith dekeyser and ericssons (stud emergence) he could be great trade bait come next year. Barring continual growth and no injuries. Dekeyser provin he can play is huge for us and our back end is growing both in size (we r no longer tiny and slow) and maturity.

I agree. My opinion of Quincey is that he is no where near as bad as ppl portray him. With the growth of the young players. Especially kindl smith dekeyser and ericssons (stud emergence) he could be great trade bait come next year. Barring continual growth and no injuries. Dekeyser provin he can play is huge for us and our back end is growing both in size (we r no longer tiny and slow) and maturity.

Thats why I keep hoping we move Smith and Rig up front and put Kronwall-Kindl, Quincey-Dekeyser, and Lashoff-Colo in the back. Hank-Dats-Ericsson = scary good.

Thats why I keep hoping we move Smith and Rig up front and put Kronwall-Kindl, Quincey-Dekeyser, and Lashoff-Colo in the back. Hank-Dats-Ericsson = scary good.

Blowing up our 1st pairing is a scary idea. Especially to move them to forward. I'd rather see us package Quincey and someone like colo or Lashoff for a good skatin power forward. Like abdlekater (can't believe that just came out of my mouth)

Blowing up our 1st pairing is a scary idea. Especially to move them to forward. I'd rather see us package Quincey and someone like colo or Lashoff for a good skatin power forward. Like abdlekater (can't believe that just came out of my mouth)